On Tuesday, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) said it would invest USD 2.47 million in five urban resilience projects in 16 cities across South Asia and Latin America. The money is from CDRI’s trust fund, the Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF). According to a press release, the initiatives are expected to impact infrastructure investments totaling USD 161 million and result in an anticipated USD 91 million in operations and management savings. CDRI allocates $2.47 million to enhance urban resilience as part of its broader goal of strengthening climate and disaster resilience in vulnerable urban areas.

Through integrated urban planning, innovation, and community participation, these projects seek to help over 2.9 million people in five countries: Bhutan, Brazil, Honduras, India, and Sri Lanka. A multinational alliance, CDRI seeks to fortify infrastructure systems against the dangers of disasters and climate change.

City-Specific Interventions and Project Goals

The funding will assist risk-informed water security measures in Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur district, which lacks permanent water supplies for agriculture and drinking. The sole accessible source, groundwater, has been overused. Due to a high rate of borewell failure and a lack of knowledge about the geology and aquifers in the area, the district, and Chintamani in particular, faces difficulties with both surface and groundwater. Pollution is worsening because untreated sewage is being poured into bodies of water. According to CDRI, 300,000 inhabitants are anticipated to be impacted by the project.

The project, which focuses on early warning systems and resilient public space planning, is spread over Thimphu, Phuntsholing, and Samtse in Bhutan. It is anticipated that 275,000 people would benefit from these initiatives.

Porto Alegre, Brazil, will use data technologies and nature-based solutions to lessen the effects of urban floods that have affected 70,000 people. Building climate-resilient healthcare infrastructure is Honduras’s main goal better to serve the country’s 50,000 most vulnerable residents.

Real-time water monitoring systems and infrastructural improvements in Colombo, Kotte, and Kelaniya are anticipated to improve the quality of life for more than two million people in Sri Lanka.

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CDRI’s Commitment to Resilient Cities

Amit Prothi, CDRI’s director general, stressed that the five chosen projects are intended to empower cities to address persistent issues in water, health, and climate through locally grounded and globally informed solutions. In the face of growing urban climate challenges, these initiatives seek to build long-term, sustainable resilience. CDRI allocates $2.47 million to enhance urban resilience through this new phase of action aimed at creating systemic impact across diverse geographic and socio-economic settings.

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